French IT firm says its technology won't be ready for Oct. 17 re-run of Kenya poll

NAIROBI (Reuters) - A French IT company that supplied the electronic system used in Kenya's nullified election last month has told the country's election board that its technology would not be ready to use again by the Oct. 17 date set for a re-run of the vote.

Earlier this month, Kenya's Supreme Court nullified the results of the presidential election held on Aug.8 and ordered a new poll within 60 days. The election board then declared the re-run of the election would be held on Oct. 17.

In a letter from Paris-based OT-Morpho to Kenya's election board, dated Sept. 18 and seen by Reuters, the company said the two electronic systems it supplied for the vote would have to be reinstalled for the re-run. "This represents a very significant amount of work, which cannot be secured by October 17," the letter read.